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Factions
In Faerûn, there are five main factions that work to shape the continent to their vision. They are the Emerald Enclave, Harpers, Lord's Alliance, Order of the Gauntlet, and Zhentarim.Lindsay, Chris, et al. A Guide to the Factions of Faerûn. Wizards of the Coast LLC, 2016."Appendix C: The Five Factions." Dungeons & Dragons: Basic Rules, by Jeremy Crawford and Mike Mearls, Wizards of the Coast LLC, 2015, pp. 108–110. Each have their own goals, beliefs, and methods of operation, and can end up at odds with one another. When great threat arises, though, all of them can come together to defeat it. The factions appear in many campaigns, including The Rise of Tiamat, Out of the Abyss, and Storm King's Thunder."Allies." The Rise of Tiamat, by Steve Winter et al., Wizards of the Coast LLC, 2014, pp. 11–17."Audience in Gauntlgrym." Out of the Abyss, by Christopher Perkins et al., Wizards of the Coast LLC, 2015, pp. 126–129."The Savage Frontier." Storm King's Thunder, by Christopher Perkins, Wizards of the Coast LLC, 2016, p. 82. Players can choose to be part of a faction using the Faction Agent background from the Sword Coast Adventurer's Guide.Mohan, Kim, editor. "Sword Coast Adventurer's Guide." Sword Coast Adventurer's Guide, by Steve Kenson, Wizards of the Coast LLC, 2015, p. 147. The Emerald Enclave "The natural order must be respected and preserved."''Wizards of the Coast LLC. "The Emerald Enclave." ''Faction -- The Emerald Enclave | Dungeons & Dragons, Aug. 2014, dnd.wizards.com/dungeons-and-dragons/story/faction/emeraldenclave The Emerald Enclave is a collection of druids, barbarians, rangers, and other wilderness survivalists who seek to preserve nature and help others survive in the wild. People of good and neutral alignment tend to be drawn to it. Members live in the wild and usually work alone, relying on themselves to get by. While they appreciate nature, they don't oppose civilization; they work to ensure the two don't end up harming each other. Masters of survival and the wild, they are proficient in Nature. Beliefs The Emerald Enclave has the following beliefs: * The natural order must be respected and preserved. * Forces that upset the natural balance must be destroyed. * The wilderness can be harsh. Not everyone can survive in it without assistance. * Civilization and the wilderness must learn to coexist peacefully. Goals The goals of the Emerald Enclave include: * Restore and preserve the natural order. * Destroy all that is unnatural. * Keep the elemental forces of the world in check. * Keep civilization and the wilderness from destroying each other. * Help others survive in the wilderness. The Harpers "Down with tyranny. Fairness and equality for all."''Wizards of the Coast LLC. "The Harpers." ''Faction -- The Harpers | Dungeons & Dragons, Aug. 2014, dnd.wizards.com/dungeons-and-dragons/story/faction/harpers The Harpers is a group of spies and spellcasters like wizards or bards who work to uplift the oppressed and destroy evil. This ranges from acts such as overthrowing corrupt rulers or stopping evil groups to keeping powerful items out of the wrong hands. The members of the Harpers, while considering each other to be close friends, rarely contact one another. When they do, it's typically to exchange information. They work primarily alone, from the shadows, and rarely come out in the open. Their members are good-aligned and pride themselves in being incorruptible. They also highly value knowledge, believing it to be power. The Harpers is one of the oldest factions in Faerûn, having been founded more than a millennium ago. A large-scale information network, Harpers agents are proficient in Investigation. Beliefs The Harpers has the following beliefs: * One can never have too much information or magical secrets. * Too much power leads to corruption, and the possible abuse of magic must be watched. * No one should be powerless. Goals The goals of the Harpers include: * Gather information on the politics and happenings throughout Faerûn. * Promote fairness and equality through covert operations. Act openly as a last resort. * End tyrants and any leader, government, or group that grows too powerful. * Aid the weak, poor, and oppressed. The Lord's Alliance "Threats to home must be terminated without prejudice. Fight for the security and glory of your people!"''Wizards of the Coast LLC. "The Lord's Alliance." ''Faction -- The Lord's Alliance | Dungeons & Dragons, Aug. 2014, dnd.wizards.com/dungeons-and-dragons/story/faction/lordsalliance The Lord's Alliance is a loose organization of rulers, lords, and other political powers who agree that they need to come together to protect their cities from threats. While they're in an alliance, each member tends to work toward what most benefits their land. The members of the Lord's Alliance are lawful and neutral bards, paladins, fighters, sorcerers, and others. They can be overly prideful and competitive among members from other cities, but understand that there must be some sort of diplomacy if they want to get anywhere. When at work, they look like commoners, but carry fine equipment supplied by the wealthy leaders of the alliance. Having to work with so many cities, the Lord's Alliance members are proficient in History. Beliefs The Lord's Alliance has the following beliefs: * Civilization must unite against the dark forces that threaten it if it hopes to survive. * Fight for your homeland and lord, and bring honor, glory, and prosperity. * Be bold and strike first. The best defense is a strong offense. Goals The goals of the Lord's Alliance include: * Protect the cities of Faerûn and ensure their prosperity. * Maintain the alliance against that which threatens Faerûn. * Eliminate any threats to established powers without hesitation. * Be the champions of the people, and bring honor and glory to your leaders. The Order of the Gauntlet "When evil strikes, we strike back."''Wizards of the Coast LLC. "Order of the Gauntlet." ''Faction -- Order of the Gauntlet | Dungeons & Dragons, Aug. 2014, dnd.wizards.com/dungeons-and-dragons/story/faction/ordergauntlet The Order of the Gauntlet is comprised of zealous seekers of justice who hold a thunderous presence. Good-aligned, often lawful good, clerics, monks, and paladins are many members of the order. They are dedicated to rooting out and crushing evil as soon as it appears. As a result, many of its members are autonomous, trusted to do what must be done in quick time. It strictly acts only when things emerge though, as to not be bullies. They also believe that evil is in everyone, but dedication to not acting on it and getting rid of it defines if a person actually is evil. As a result, they only deal with acts of evil, not thoughts. They hold a very strong sense of honor and code. With their dedication to crushing evil, members are proficient in Religion. Beliefs The Order of the Gauntlet has the following beliefs: * Faith is the greatest weapon against evil—faith in one's god, one's friends, and one's self. * Battling evil is an extraordinary task that requires extraordinary strength and bravery. * Punishing an evil act is just. Punishing an evil thought is not. Goals The goals of the Order of the Gauntlet include: * Be vigilant of evil, and armed to smite it. * Enforce justice. * Identify evil power groups and creatures, and monitor their actions. * Only strike in retribution. Do not strike before evil is proven. The Zhentarim "Join us and prosper. Oppose us and suffer."''Wizards of the Coast LLC. "Zhentarim." ''Faction -- Zhentarim | Dungeons & Dragons, Aug. 2014, dnd.wizards.com/dungeons-and-dragons/story/faction/zhentarim The Zhentarim is a faction that walks the line of the law. It's also known as the Black Network, and rightfully so. It attracts rogues and warlocks of neutral and evil alignment, and regularly employs mercenaries and other sort of folk. In the past, it worked in the shadows, but has become more public in recent times by putting on a cleaner face of just offering the best warriors money can buy for protection and other sorts. The Zhentarim strive to make themselves an omnipresent monopoly and seek wealth to make themselves powerful. The slick-tongued members of the Zhentarim are proficient in Deception. Beliefs The Zhentarim has the following beliefs: * The Zhentarim is your family. You watch out for it, and it watches out for you. * You are the master of your own destiny. Never be less than what you deserve to be. * Everything—and everyone—has a price. Goals The goals of the Zhentarim include: * Amass wealth. * Look for opportunities to seize power. * Gain influence over important people and organizations. * Dominate Faerûn. References Category:Faerun Category:Character